The Phoenix Plan
by Immortalparadox91
Summary: Draco Malfoy was supposed to kill Dumbledore...that didn't pan out. He has now been given the task of killing the Grangers. What happens when Draco decides that he's not really a fan of killing people?
1. Chapter 1 The Unthinkable Task

A/N: I am not J. K. Rowling. This is my first published FanFiction and it is a work in progress. Let me hear your thoughts!

* * *

"Obliviate"

Hermione watched as their eyes became vacant and traces of her existence began to disappear. The spell would have them in a meditative state for at least an hour. It gave her enough time to clear the home of her things. She started in her room and transfigured a few items to resemble an office. She never truly unpacked anymore as is, so there wasn't much to do. It had been a long time since she had last called this place home. She filled the top of her trunk with clothes, pictures, and personal documentation before shrinking it and placing it into a beaded handbag. Hermione made sure to leave nothing behind.

They had no relatives that they kept in contact with; Perhaps a second cousin twice-removed, but no one close enough that would ever show up unannounced. Hermione only had her parents. She had already handled their finances so there would be no trace that they ever had a child. Their mobiles had been wiped clean and their dentistry practice had been sold overnight. It was almost too easy to erase herself from their lives; They were all set.

After she had done all that she could to the home, she sat quietly on the sofa in the living room across from her parents. She lifted the vial of polyjuice to her mouth and downed the contents. Her body transformed into the form of the local real estate agent, Viki Pepper, and she blanched at the taste. She had a flashback from second year, remembering her time as a human/cat hybrid, and shuddered. She dropped the vial into her beaded bag and waited. About five minutes passed before Monica and Wendell Wilkins looked at her, slightly confused.

"Sorry, Miss Pepper, I haven't the slightest clue where my brain has gone today." Mrs. Wilkins gushed, "Would you like some tea?"

"No, thank you, ma'am. I was just leaving. You will find everything we have discussed in that packet on the table," She said pointing to a large yellow folder. "Since this is our last meeting, I do hope you have a safe trip!" Hermione stood and shook hands with the dazed couple before departing the home. _It's enough_ , she thought, _It will have to be._

Hermione decided to linger in town for a week to be sure that they left without a hitch; She couldn't be too careful. Once they were gone, she returned to the home and ensured that it was empty and completely warded. The home had been put under a false name, but she held onto the deed. With the Ministry in such a right state, she didn't expect it to go unnoticed for long. One final look at her childhood home and she was ready to leave. She would have her breakdown soon.

Hermione felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand at attention; She was being watched. The polyjuice was beginning to wear off so she had to leave before she was recognized. She pulled out her wand and turned on her heel to apparate, but she could have sworn she saw a tuft of shocking white-blonde hair in the distance before disappearing with a _pop_.

* * *

"Well shit," Draco Malfoy spat. He had, once again, failed a task from the Dark Lord. How was he supposed to do what they were asking? He was pure-blood, yes, but not a killer. He had been spared the Dark Lord's fury thanks to the surly Potions master. Professor Snape had done what he could not and killed Albus Dumbledore, but the Dark Lord was displeased. _Weak_ _,_ he had called him. Draco Malfoy was _weak_ for being incapable of murder; _Go figure_.

His father, however, was less than merciful. The point of using the Cruciatus Curse was to cause him pain, of course, but _did it have to hurt so fucking much_? Lucius cursed Draco until his voice began to give, but it had sounded like he had been tortured earlier by Voldemort so that didn't take long. The whippings came soon after. Mother had shut down; Her face displayed horrors that Draco could not even imagine. They would tell each other that they were fine, but they both knew that was a lie.

Draco's new task was quite possibly worse than killing the old man. He had been, how'd _He_ word it? _B_ _lessed_ with the task of killing Potter's Mudblood and her parents. Draco may have despised Granger, but he didn't think he could ever kill her. The seeds of doubt for the Dark Lord and his deranged gang of inbreds had been lurking far too long to ignore, but Draco needed a way out. Voldemort had mentioned that if he failed this task to not bother coming back.

He had no intention of completing the task, but somehow he had found himself staring at Granger's house; Granger's very empty house. There had been no sign of life around the home for hours. The only person to even step close to the house was a short woman in a pencil skirt that put up a sign in the yard advertising real estate. The woman fussed about the home for a few minutes before stepping back to appraise her work. Her hair slowly began to change from a short bob to long curls. Draco jerked to stand.

The woman whipped her head around, wand in hand, and looked straight at him before disapperating into the night. _Ah Fucking Hell._ Now he really had no choice, not that there ever really was one. He'd be dead faster than he could say _Potter Stinks_. Thankfully he had Lulu, his personal house elf, pack his trunk weeks ago and shrink it for him. He was planning on doing a runner anyways, but seeing Granger had only solidified his resolve.

Now, how in the hell he was going to find any of the goody-goodies and convince them to take in a Death Eater; He did not know.

He knew Granger well enough to know that her vacant house would be warded and probably booby trapped to anyone bearing the mark so staying there was out of the question. He decided to apparate to the town of Ottery Saint Catchpole. If Draco was to meet anyone in the Order, he might as well start near Weasley central. The whole lot of them were well known for being blood-traitors and muggle sympathizers. Before he turned to apparate, he transfigured his appearance to resemble a Weasley. There were so many of them and they all had the look of _dingy ginger_. It wasn't a difficult transformation, but enough to hide his too obvious Malfoy looks. He transfigured his blonde hair to long ginger locks and changed his clothes to look dated and worn. He traded his trademark pressed suit for a slightly faded maroon sweater and jeans.

He popped into town behind a paper shop that had a few articles from that ridiculous paper, The Quibbler, pasted on the brick walls. He had only ever been to Ottery Saint Catchpole once so this was unfamiliar territory. His father had wanted to show how Malfoys lived on superior land compared to poor blood-traitors, but as much as Draco was loathe to admit, he found the landscape to be rather picturesque.

He was not quite sure where to begin his search for the Weasley home so he decided to set up camp near a formidable looking Willow tree. He would stay far enough away from town to not be in the line of fire or questioning gazes, but was close enough to see if there was trouble.

He pulled out his camping gear that had not been used since the Quidditch World Cup and began setting up protective wards. Setting up camp had gone rather fast, but he was physically and emotionally exhausted. He decided to tuck in for the night with the plan to investigate the surrounding areas in the morning.

Draco didn't have to wait long to discover where the Weasleys lived because that night he heard a lot of unusual racket coming from the sky. The noise was difficult to ignore so he pulled on the worn jumper and peeked out the front door of the tent. He blinked a few times before focusing in on the intimidating form of Kingsley Shaklebolt who apparated not too far from Draco's spot under the tree. He disguised himself with a disillusionment charm and ran to the spot Shaklebolt disappeared.

He may have looked like a Weasley, but his time at the manor had taught him to trust no one. He looked around the area quietly before spotting a skeletal horse figure fly overhead. The creature held two bodies, one with bright orange hair and another that looked unmistakably like the Chosen One himself. Draco took his chance and darted after them. He ran the length of three whole Quidditch pitches before he smacked directly into something. Hard. Rubbing his nose he looked up to see what he hit, but saw only air. He stood up and walked slowly with his arms raised out in front of him and he felt the solid barrier wall preventing his progress. Blocked. _Of course._

He marked his spot at the barrier with a quick spell before returning to his tent and packed the tent as fast as he could; He was in it now. If he was going to do this, might as well make it obvious. Draco walked back to where the skeletal horse crossed the boundary and began to set up camp once more. His progress was suddenly halted by a wand pressed to his jugular.

"Mr. Malfoy, I am not in the best spirits so you best speak quickly lest you lose your head. What are you doing here?" His disillusionment charm and altered appearance spell work must have worn off. _Fuck_.

"Speak!" He recognized the voice but could not put his finger on the name. "I'm here to s-surrender to the Order of the Phoenix." The wand was pushed painfully into the his neck. "I don't believe you. You bare that mark, why should I believe you?"

Draco slowly held up his hands in response and passed this man his spare wand; He always kept a spare on him. He was scared, but not suicidal. "I want to help you...I did not kill Dumbledore. I can no longer stand for what that _snake_ is doing. Bind me, hold my wand hostage, but keep me safe. _Please_." He knew this sounded pathetic, but he needed to play on the Order's heart strings to get anywhere.

There was a quiet moment before the man moved his wand from Draco's vein. He grabbed the offered wand and quickly bound the Malfoy heir. A silencing spell was cast and Draco's camping supplies were packed once more. The mystery man stunned Draco before levitating him and his shrunken tent across the barrier to the Burrow.

* * *

A/N: Thoughts?


	2. Chapter 2 Welcome to The Burrow

A[N: Some quotes are taken straight from Deathly Hallows. I am not J.K. Rowling; I just wanna play with her toys.

* * *

2"Harry, he's taking over the Ministry and the newspapers and half the Wizarding world! Don't let him inside your head too!" Hermione yelled at Harry. She looked up to see Lupin and Bill cross back over the boundary, but they were carrying someone that was definitely not Moody.

" _Malfoy_?" Ron was instantly at her side. "What the _bloody hell_ is he doing here?"

Lupin looked exasperated and asked them to bring out Mr. Weasley with some Veritaserum. Hermione ran inside wondering what on earth was going on. She had just seen Malfoy at her childhood home earlier that day, and now he was at the Burrow? Something was fishy...or more like _snakey_.

"Mr. Weasley, you might want to go see Lupin. Do we have any Veritaserum?" Arthur looked up from his Firewhiskey and thought for a moment before rummaging through the kitchen cabinets. Any other day this sort of request would have been odd, but that day had certainly not been normal. They both went back outside followed closely by Fred and Ginny. "What on earth is _he_ doing here?" Ginny asked, walking up to Hermione. "I honestly have no idea," the older girl replied.

A chair had been summoned and Draco Malfoy was quickly bound to it. " _Rennervate."_ All eyes were on him as he opened his eyes and looked around. The scene before him was rather comical; He was surrounded by almost the entire Order of the Phoenix which was clearly 75% Weasley. Lupin accepted a vial from Mr. Weasley before holding it to Draco's mouth. "Drink," Lupin said sternly. Malfoy made a face at the demand. He had came to them voluntarily and would _not_ be bossed around. "Now wait just a-"

" **DRINK** Mr. Malfoy!" Lupin shouted. Draco had never heard his former professor shout before and it had startled him enough that he took a drink from the vial of Veritaserum without further protest.

 _He looks so pale_ , Hermione thought. Malfoy looked paler than his normal complexion and a good bit thinner than his normal build. Lupin, Bill, and Mr. Weasley were all questioning him, but Hermione was having a hard time staying focused. Harry and Ron came by her side and scooted close to her and Ginny protectively.

"What is your name?"

"Draco Lucius Malfoy."

"What are you doing here?"

"I am here to surrender to the Order of the Phoenix and pledge my allegiance."

"Did Voldemort put you up to this?"

"No."

"Did another Death Eater put you up to this?"

"No."

"What was the last task Voldemort gave you?"

"To kill Hermione Granger and her muggle parents."

Harry and Ron nearly crushed Hermione with the strength they had wrapping their arms around her. Ron was emitting a low growling noise at Malfoy that made the hairs on her neck stand up straight. She had been right to obliviate her parents. Hermione Granger was a target in this war. She shook her head and told herself to **focus**. She had missed a few questions already!

"What do you expect to gain from coming here?"

"Safety. My home is currently occupied by an immortal psychopath and I cannot return...not with my task incomplete."

"Do you **_intend_** to complete said task?"

"No!" Malfoy exclaimed. "I am **_not_** a killer!"

Lupin and Mr. Weasley walked out of Malfoy's earshot and began to speak amongst themselves. "There is absolutely no way that bloody wanker is staying in my home! Don't worry Hermione, I'll protect you." Once again, Ron tightened his hold on her shoulders. Harry looked just as lost and confused as Hermione felt. She just wanted another shot of Firewhiskey and a chance to lay down and cry. She had yet to tell her boys about her parents. She didn't have the heart to tell Harry and Ron to loosen their grip on her. Lupin had moved to stand in front of Malfoy as Mr. Weasley approached their group. He motioned for everyone to follow him inside the home.

Hermione looked over her shoulder to see Malfoy looking at her with the strangest expression on his face. Ron and Harry quickly shuffled her through the front door and out of his view. They had all gathered in the living room where George was sprawled out on the sofa. Noise erupted at once from all areas of the room. Hermione distinctly heard the words "ferret," "Death Eater," "Malfoy," "Slytherin rasth," and "over my dead, extraordinarily handsome, body!"

The occupants of the living room looked around in confusion before the sound became too much for sensitive ears. "Enough!" George shouted. "You lot are killing my only ear drum!" Silence descended on the room.

"So it appears we have a new house guest," Mr. Weasley said diplomatically.

"House guest? **_House guest_**?" Ron balked. "Did you not _hear_ what he was going to do to Hermione?"

"Ronald, sit **down**. Yes, I heard, but I also heard that he is pledging his allegiance to the Order."

Molly looked to her husband. "Who is it dear?"

"The young Malfoy boy."

George perked up a bit at that. "You mean the pointy blonde git who always goes out of his way to pick on Hermione?" Ron nodded. "Yes! _That_ pointy git." Hermione's head was spinning. Her day had been too long and too stressful. The abandoned Firewhiskey in the kitchen was calling her name.

"Will you guys cut it out? _Honestly_ , Mr. Weasley and Lupin just drilled him of his intentions, _under Veritaserum mind you_ , and confiscated his bloody wand! George lost an ear tonight and we still need someone to go find Moody!" Her composure was slipping, she had to reel it in, but she was just so very tired.

"Hermione is quite right," Mrs. Weasley said standing. "The poor boy must be scared if he's coming to us. Ron, Harry, the Malfoy boy will sleep in the room with you two." She nodded her head with finality as if daring them to argue, but both boys simply looked at her like she had just sprouted two heads.

"Mum...we'll kill each other."

"This is not up for discussion!" She looked to her husband and instructed him to fetch Lupin and their new house guest. Arthur sprinted out to a weary looking Remus and filled him in on the discussion.

Hermione watched with morbid curiosity as they released Malfoy from his bonds and walked behind him with their wands gripped at their sides. Malfoy looked weak, like he hadn't had a proper meal in a year. She studied him like a particularly difficult Potions exam. It was then that he looked up and locked eyes with her. His eyes were distant, yet focused. He appeared tired, but alert.

Years from now, Hermione would look back at this moment in time and state that she was convinced the world had gone completely insane. Had the pureblooded poster child, Draco Malfoy, just smiled at the _filthy_ _mudblooded_ , Hermione Granger?

 _What in Merlin's name was that about?_

Hermione was ready for bed, but with the new addition to the Weasley homestead, she did not foresee that happening any time soon. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were telling Malfoy about their home when Lupin grabbed Hermione by the arm and pulled her to the kitchen.

"Hermione I know this is going to be difficult, but you're the only person I trust not to break it." He held out his hand which held Malfoy's wand. Hermione just stared at him for a moment. "I couldn't possibly..."

"Hermione you are the only one that may stay logical and fair as far as Mr. Malfoy is concerned." He laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I know you, Harry, and Ron are planning something - and I know that I can't stop you - but I also know that you are the most level headed of the group. Just take it and keep it safe. He won't know you have it." She accepted the wand with a sigh and nodded. She was just too tired to argue; It wouldn't do any good.

She picked up the bottle of Firewhiskey and took one long swig before leaving the kitchen. Hermione took the stairs to Ginny's room two at a time, but stopped when she heard shouting come from Ron and Harry's room.

" ** _If you don't like it, you can just go back to the filthy dungeon you crawled out of_**!" Ron was the loudest of the three boys. _Of course_.

"I have my own night clothes and cot in my tent, now if you don't mind-"

"I _do_ mind. You can deal with the pajamas we give you tonight and get your things tomorrow _after_ we have had a chance to inspect it."

"I'd rather be caught dead than wear your ratty hand-me-downs, Weasley!"

" ** _Good!_** I'd rather you be dead. Then I wouldn't have to deal with your sorry, good for nothing, Death Eater, arse!"

There was a sound of a scuffle and Hermione knew she would have to intervene. After securing Malfoy's wand in her robes she pushed through the door to find both Harry and Ron sitting on top of a very disgruntled Malfoy who was splayed out on the floor like a carpet rug. She couldn't help it; Hermione started laughing. Her laughter had brought tears to her eyes, but all humor had left her with the moisture. The dam was about to break so she settled for light sniffles before speaking.

"Boys. Play nice...and get off Malfoy's arse would you?" Both boys jumped up like they'd been stung by the mention of Malfoy's behind.

"But _Hermione_!"

"Harry, really? I expected Ron to have difficulty with this, but you too?" Harry had the decency to look a bit ashamed before childishly mumbling, "He started it."

" _Honestly_! Malfoy get up. I'll transfigure the clothes you're wearing into pajamas if it is _that_ big of a deal. We'll have to check for dark artifacts in your things tomorrow. It'll be a while before we can fully trust your intentions, Veritaserum or not."

Malfoy got up and pretended to leisurely brush dust off of his clothing. "Leave it to know-it-all Granger to have an _actual_ solution that doesn't get me roughed up." She rolled her eyes. "Alright then."

He held his arms up away from his body expectantly. Hermione and the boys just stood there staring at him like he proclaimed to breed dementors.

"Well? Are you just going to stare at my handsome frame or are you going to transfigure my clothes?" Hermione shook herself out of her daze and appeared to get her senses together. She blushed a bit under Malfoy's steely gaze, causing him to smirk.

 _Oh yeah_ , she needed sleep. She was getting flustered by Malfoy, and for different reasons than she normally would be.

She bid the boys good night with a promise to hex their bollocks off if they woke her by shouting and ran the final flight of steps to Ginny's room. She changed quickly and passed out almost immediately upon hitting the bed.


	3. Chapter 3 What Did I Get Myself Into?

Draco stared at the space Granger had been standing with a peculiar thought. Had she just blushed? _Nope, no._ He was losing it. He had not had a decent night's sleep in far too long. He was hoping against all hope that bunking with the feckless morons would not prove too problematic.

He reluctantly turned to face his new roommates who were decidedly ignoring his presence. The room was rather crowded and very...orange. There was a bright Chudley Cannons poster hanging above Ron's bed. The room was a mashup of Quidditch gear and clothes. A third bed had been haphazardly squeezed next to the corner window. Draco sighed. He made his way to the bed and lifted the multicolored duvet before climbing in. He was thankful they didn't pat him down too thoroughly and discover his hidden wand. He felt much better remembering he could defend himself.

He glanced towards Potter and Weasley when he began to hear an unidentifiable buzzing sound. They were sitting across from one another with their heads bent together whispering fervently. If Draco didn't know any better, he'd say they were a little close together for friends. They obviously had cast some form of spell so he wouldn't overhear, but the buzzing was just down right annoying. He sat up and made a show of fluffing his pillow so he could discreetly cast a quick _finite_ _incantatem_.

The troublesome duo did not appear to notice. Draco thanked Salazar for small victories as the buzzing stoppped. He laid back down and allowed himself to relax. He closed his eyes and listened to Potter and Weasley's hushed conversation with interest.

"We can't just leave him here. Not with Ginny..." Harry sighed. "It was awfully easy for him to find us, don't you think?"

Ron rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Yeah. I don't remember them asking him about how he found us." There was a creaking sound from both boys shifting to lay down on their beds. "Then again, my family is well known among pure-blood wizarding families. The Weasleys have owned land around this area for centuries." He yawned loudly. "We don't exactly blend either." Harry stifled a snort. "No...no you don't. Between the Weasleys and Malfoys, you both could stop traffic with hair alone." Ron flung a small pillow at Harry, smacking the dark haired boy in the face. "Prat."

The room was silent for a few minutes - save for the sounds of breathing. Draco thought the other two must have drifted to sleep until Ron spoke once more. "Did something seem off about Hermione to you?" It took a moment before Harry responded. "Off how?" It had been a long night for all of them and he couldn't think of anything out of character. "She drank a bit more Firewhiskey than I would have expected," Ron said lamely.

 _Hmm. That was odd_ , Draco thought. Granger didn't seem like the whiskey drinking type. He always imagined know-it-all Granger to be a wine snob like his mother used to be. He remembered asking her why in _Salazar's_ name was she sticking her nose in her wine glass? Earning a chuckle from his Father and his personal house elf, Lulu. He missed those days.

The Malfoys were posh and extravagant, but they were _happy_. The world saw the façade they wanted them to see: Powerful, very rich, and terrifying. His father was the best actor out of the bunch. He walked like he owned the world and commanded every room he entered. Draco had to be on his best behavior in public, lest he get smacked by his father's cane. It was all for show though...or at least it used to be. His father was unmistakably kind behind the manor's closed doors. Draco had looked up to him and wanted nothing more than to be just like him. _Not anymore_.

Something had changed Lucius Malfoy for the worst. Draco was unsure if he was constantly 'acting' cruel or if his father was ever really kind at all. The man he once adoringly admired and aspired to be had broken his outlook on the world. He knew the world was full of misfortune. Hell, he joked about it daily with the lads, but what did he really know? _Nothing._ Draco knew nothing of true horror until he met the Dark Lord.

This man, who was hardly a man at all, broke his perceptions of _everything_. His father was not the man he believed him to be, his mother had been irreparably damaged, and Draco, himself, was lost. It used to be all an act - for the world to see - but somehow, someway, the act stopped being an act at all. These people, _these people_ , who had every right to **_hate_** him, were providing him sanctuary. Him. Draco Malfoy, the hateful, spiteful, racist, pure-blood who had never shown a single one of them an ounce of kindness was being kept safe from the Big 'ol baddie.

Draco had always thought that he was good at reading people. He knew what made others 'tick.' _People are predictable_ , his father would say. _Stereotypes are stereotypes because people make them so_. He believed him, of course. He had never even considered the possibility of his father being wrong. It was this thought that kept him awake far longer than he would have liked.

 _Granger likes Firewhiskey._

* * *

 ***CRACK***

"Holy shit!" Draco awoke with a start and toppled out of his corner bed.

"Hmm, twitchy little ferret wouldn't you say, Gred?"

"Aye, aye, Forge. Not too high and mighty sitting arse over tea kettle now is he?"

"Right you are, Freddie! What say you to a good 'ol fashioned Weasley welcome?"

"I'd say you are a genius, Georgie!"

"One-"

"-Two-"

" **THREE!** "

Draco suddenly felt a mountain of slime fall on top of his head. _What in the actual fuck_?

"Oi Malfoy! I do believe green really is your color!" Ron called from across the room through his choking laughter. Draco sat up and felt bits of slime fall straight into his lap. The slime was _wiggling_. "UGH! What the fuck!"

"Are those...slugs?" Harry asked as he searched for his glasses. The twins smirked. "Not just slugs, oh savior of the universe!" George said loudly. " _Greeeeeen slugs_!" Fred finished. Harry just looked at them blankly. "Um...alright..." Harry continued to pat around the bed for his glasses. "What am I missing?" By this point, Ron was on the floor in hysterics struggling to breathe through his laughter.

The door to the bedroom burst open, causing all 5 men to turn to see who it was. A very haggard looking Hermione Granger marched in with her wand raised threateningly.

" **I SWEAR TO _GODRIC_ , I WILL HEX EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOUR**-"

She stopped abruptly as she took in the scene: Ron was sitting on the floor wiping tears from his very red face, Harry was squinting at her from his spot on his bed, Fred was smiling at her with his hands firmly holding an empty bucket, George was squinting through Harry's glasses - which hung lopsided on his face due to the ear imbalance - and Malfoy was sitting on the floor behind the twins covered in green slugs. He was staring mutely at his hands which had already begun to turn a vibrant lime green shade.

"You know what?" Hermione started. "It is waaaay too early for this nonsense. I'm going back to bed." She turned back around and walked out the door with a slam. The men could hear her grumble and stomp down the stairs for a moment before hearing her stomp back up the stairs. The door opened once more and Hermione now had the half empty bottle of Firewhiskey in her grasp. "Do me a favor. Don't kill each other - scratch that - I don't care. Just please do it **_quietly_**." She turned on her heel and marched back up to Ginny's room, closing both doors with a bang.

Draco was the first to speak. "Not a morning person, is she?" The other boys looked back at him as if just remembering he was there.

"Actually, Hermione is usually very pleasant when she wakes up," George said while casually pulling off and inspecting Harry's glasses. Across the room, Harry and Ron shared a worried look. Fred shook his head and gestured towards Malfoy. "Aren't you mad? I was expecting a stream of curse words by now." Draco looked down at himself. Hermione's entrance had effectively made him lose steam. Truthfully, he found it hilarious. The irony of the slugs was not lost on him though. Leave it to the mischievous twins to pull off something his first day there.

"At least I'm not barfing them, eh Weaselbee?" Ron frowned. The memory of barfing slugs second year was not a pleasant one.

"So...where's the bathroom?" Draco stood up and a mountain of slugs dropped to the floor. His skin was slimy and decorated with green slug hickeys.

George grinned. "Right this way _Gumby_." Fred snickered and followed them out the door.


	4. Chapter 4 Why is the Rum Always Gone!

Hermione was fuming. She had _told_ them to keep it down. Naturally, they wouldn't listen to her. Stupid boys. She lifted the bottle of Firewhiskey to her lips and took a large gulp. She allowed herself to settle back into her bed. Molly had called for Ginny earlier that morning to help with some household chores, so she had the bedroom all to herself. _Thank Merlin_ , she thought. Hermione had yet to allow herself to mourn the loss of her parents.

She knew she should talk to someone about her pain, but it was still so...so _fresh_. She knew it was for the best, but that didn't make it any easier. If she died in this war...they wouldn't know. Not only would they not know, but it would not bother them that they didn't know. No one would be there to pick out childhood photos or choose sad songs to play at her funeral. Would she be buried? Cremated? There was so much about the wizarding world that she did not know!

She picked up the bottle of Firewhiskey and took two more large gulps. _Shit_ , that stuff burned. Hermione normally would avoid copious amounts of alcohol due to impaired judgement, but that day she frankly couldn't give a flying fuck! She had gotten very little sleep despite passing out relatively quickly. She tossed and turned all night with whispers of half-dreams and nightmares.

She had woken up several times throughout the night in various stages of grief and confusion. She dreamed of her future wedding day, and witnessed her father walk her down the aisle, but the picture wasn't quite right. Her friends and family were all in the audience, but when the veil was lifted it revealed that her face was missing. Even more bizarre was the fact that she was marrying Malfoy. To say that she woke up confused would have been an understatement.

Hermione crawled out of her blanket fort and moved to rummage through her trunk. She grabbed a shrunken lock-box and pulled it on top of the bed with her. She then buried herself back in her cocoon of warm and enlarged the box. This was going to be painful. She took another long shot of Firewhiskey before unlocking the box and reaching inside for the Granger scrap book.

Tears slowly leaked down Hermione's face as she looked through the photographs. These pictures didn't move, but she didn't care. Her mother had put the photo album together shortly before Hermione left for her first year at Hogwarts. Love flowed through each page without the help of magic. Each photograph was labeled with the date and time of capture. Her mother was nothing short of meticulous when it came to documenting their lives. It was made for Hermione to pull out whenever she felt homesick and it usually drastically improved her mood. This time, however, it wasn't really helping.

Hermione was openly crying now and she had nearly emptied the Firewhiskey. She had continued to drink from it as time passed without realizing just how much she was drinking. She pulled it up to her mouth once more for a drink and noticed, with a huff, that she had finished the bottle. Out the window of the room she shared with Ginny she could see Lupin and Mr. Weasley sorting through the ferret's tent.

"Stupid Malffffoy," she slurred. It was his fault she had not talked to the boys yet. She took another look at the empty bottle and sighed; It was not like her to drink with such abandon. Hermione grumbled and made a move to get out of the bed, but found herself incredibly dizzy. She needed to go get cleaned up and be a productive member of the household, but that was turning out to be quite difficult. With a groan, she forced herself to roll out of bed and onto her feet. She could do this.

Hermione made to step towards the door, but suddenly found herself in a heap on the floor. _Nope...crawling it is then_...

It took longer than should have been necessary to open the door, but she had finally accomplished the task and made her way down to the bathroom.

* * *

Draco grumbled as he washed his skin for the fifth time. _Damn green slugs_. Green was his favorite color to wear, but he was not overly fond of his skin remaining that way. He was pleased to find that the Weasleys' shower had contained several different soap options. Having a house constantly full of people did have its benefits he supposed. His mind kept drifting back towards the morning's events, specifically Granger's odd behavior.

Hermione Granger was far from Draco Malfoy's favorite person, but he had to admit that he was impressed. She was wildly terrifying when she wanted to be and had effectively sobered an entire room of magical men. He kept trying and failing to match her up to the stereotype that he had always put her in, but the Firewhiskey had definitely thrown him for a loop. What's more, he could not seem to figure out why it mattered.

Draco accidentally squirted some shampoo in his eyes when a crash was heard somewhere in the house. Cursing, he stepped out of the shower to locate a soap-free washcloth. The task was more difficult than he would have anticipated due to the unfamiliarity of the Weasleys' wash room. He was squinting through bubbles and reaching for what looked to be a towel rack when he heard the most peculiar noise behind him.

Draco whipped around too fast and slipped to the floor. Across the bathroom sat Hermione Granger. He had missed the sound of her entry due to the sound of the shower. She was struggling to remove her _very_ fuzzy looking teddy bear pajamas. Draco grabbed the first thing he could think of to cover his dignity.

"Granger! What the bloody hell are you doing?" He shrieked.

Hermione turned her head to the sound, but her top was obstructing her view. She had the garment half way off her body and was sitting with it over her head and arms; giving Malfoy an unobstructed view of her chest. "What?" She said through a drunken burp. Getting flustered, she tossed the top off of her head and was able to see once more. She was greeted with the sight of a _VERY_ nude Draco Malfoy who was gaping at her like a fish.

"Oi ferrrrrrettttt! *hic* Did you know you're naaaakeddd?" *snort* She giggled as if she said something incredibly funny. Draco, however, was mortified. He was dead. That's the most logical explanation. The bald loony Lord Avadad his sorry arse straight to Hell. He always joked that Hell was with the Gryffindors, but he didn't expect it to be taken so literally.

"Maaaaalffffffoooooooy...*hic*...Why do you need tampooooons? Hahahahaha!" *hic*

Draco looked down and realized that he had, in fact, grabbed a large box of feminine hygiene products to cover his cock. _For the love of Salazar_...

"Granger...I was taking a shower before you so rudely barged in!" He gestured wildly to the still running water. This seemed to snap her out of her giggles. "Oh right." *hic* She grabbed the lip of the tub and pulled herself to stand. Draco let out a sigh of relief thinking she got the picture until she started to shimmy herself out of her pajama bottoms and knickers.

The squeak Draco Malfoy made at that particular moment was the most undignified and un-Malfoy sound he could have ever imagined himself making. "Fucking Merlin!" He reached up and grabbed a towel to cover his eyes. " _Why are you taking you clothes off?_ " He shouted from under the towel.

Hermione either chose to ignore him or was way too preoccupied with her knickers to notice. There was a sudden pounding on the outside of the bathroom door, startling Hermione out of her concentration.

Her foot became caught in the leg hole of her knickers causing her to tumble almost entirely on top of Draco. "OI! Ferret! Are you going to finish anytime soon or are we going to have to pull you out?!" Ron shouted through the door. _Shit_ _, shit shit!_ The last thing Draco needed right then was for Ronald Weasley to barge in the bathroom. He cleared his throat and attempted to sound nonchalant. "10 more minutes!" Hermione began to raise herself off of Draco's lap, but did not make it very far.

She slipped back down on the wet floor and pulled the towel covering Draco's face with her. He looked before he could stop himself. Granger was in between his legs and on her knees stark naked. What he had tried to ignore before was staring him right in the face; Hermione Granger was, in fact, a _woman_. She had pale, creamy looking skin, her breasts were larger than her ever cared to take note of, and she had a little bit of a tummy, but she was gorgeous. Her hair was wilder than ever and it hung almost to her nipples and he could see a faint scar across her shoulder that looked at least a year or two old.

Draco was stunned into silence. This girl, _no_ , this _woman_ was who he had spent almost half of his life antagonizing. _To what end_? She was not inferior at all. She was _perfect_. He was suddenly snapped out of his thoughts by her leaning into his chest and taking a deep breath. "You smeeeell gooood." He had to control his breathing. She felt _good_. On top of that, the tip of her breast was lightly touching the tip of his increasingly hardening manhood. _Oh Merlin_.

He cleared his throat experimentally. "Um...Granger?" She placed her hands on his thighs and pushed herself up to look at him. Her face was close to his. _Too close_. She was blowing small puffs of air on his cheeks with every exhale. He could smell the Firewhiskey on her breath mixed with a uniquely Hermione scent. She was intoxicating. All rational thoughts had escaped his brain. He leaned in as if to kiss her.

"That's it Malfoy! You've been in there long enough! We're coming to pull you out!"

The door to the bathroom swung open with a bang and in walked Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley.


	5. Chapter 5 The Things We Do For Love

A/N: Hello, hello, hello my wonderful readers! I would like to take a moment to thank LaBelladone x for helping me beta this fic! I so appreciate her assistance. Go give her a follow and read her stuff! She's faaaaaaaabulous! Anyways, onto it then!

* * *

Draco froze. They were going to kill him. There was no way around it. This looked 50 different shades of bad! Hermione Granger was fully naked and crouching over an equally naked Draco Malfoy.

" ** _What the fuck are you doing to her_**?" Ron shouted as he stomped farther into the bathroom and pulled Granger off of him by the arm.

" _Ouuuuch_ Ron!" Potter grabbed a towel hanging on the door and quickly tucked it around a struggling Granger.

"Guuuuuys stoooop!" *hic* "I just want to shoooower." *hic*

Weasley was ignoring Granger and was instead opting for aiming his wand menacingly at Draco. "You have two seconds to explain yourself before you lose body parts. One!"

"I wasn't-"

" ** _Two_**! _Sectums-"_ Weasley was stopped by the sound of Granger retching into the waste bin. Potter was pulling her hair out of the way and patting her back. Draco could smell the Firewhiskey from his spot on the floor. _Good_ , he thought, she needed to get it out. He had no idea how much she had consumed, but knew it was too much and wouldn't do well to remain in her stomach. Ron turned back towards Draco.

"What did you _do_?"

" _I_ didn't do anything. _She's_ the one that came in here and began undressing!" Draco motioned wildly to the state of the bathroom; Granger's clothes were scattered everywhere and his clothes were neatly folded on top of a shelf. Ron huffed and pointed his wand dangerously at Draco. " _Stay_ ," he hissed. Not wanting to provoke the Weasel whilst unarmed, he complied.

Ron turned towards Hermione who was quietly sobbing over the waste bin. "Hermione? Honey, what happened?" Draco almost laughed at the absurdity; Weasley had gone from shouting vehemently at Draco to almost cooing at Granger.

Hermione wiped her face with the towel and lifted her head. "I j-just wa-wanted to shower!"

Ron and Harry shared a quick look. "Hermione...um..." Harry searched for the words. "Why were you on top of Malfoy? Uh naked?"

She sniffled delicately. "Slipped."

"Granger, how much did you drink?" Draco asked from his corner. He was ready to get this over with so he could get dressed and get some breakfast. Weasley glared back over his shoulder at the blonde before turning back to Hermione. "Dunno." *hic* "Finished the bottle."

"Merlin Hermione! There was about half a bottle when you went upstairs earlier!" Potter squinted around the room. "Let's...uh...Let's get you back upstairs." The two Gryffindors picked up the weeping witch and made their way up to Ginny's room, finally leaving Draco to get dressed.

 _Ugh._ He was getting a headache.

* * *

After Ron and Harry got Hermione back up the stairs to the girls' bedroom, Harry went to search for Ginny for back up. Ron tightly held Hermione in his arms and walked over to her bed. He gently placed her down up by her pillow so she could lean back against the wall. He sat next to her and noted that her bed was a mess. She leaned her head against his shoulder and began snoring softly.

Ron lightly pulled on a loose curl and twisted it around his finger. It was unlike his Hermione to drink with such abandon. He was worried about her. There were photographs of her childhood littering the bed. What had he missed?

When Hermione had arrived at the burrow the previous day, they had immediately set out to go pick up Harry from Privet Drive. So much had happened the day before that they simply had not had a chance to talk. He _knew_ there was something off. He just knew it. Hermione was always the smart one out of the three of them. She knew exactly what she had to do to make it through the war, but at what cost?

Ron began sorting through some of the contents splayed out on the bed and noticed she had an awful lot of documentation with her. There were birth certificates for herself and her parents, bank statements, receipts, and what looked like the deed to her parents house. "Oh Hermione, what did you do love?" Of course, she didn't answer. She was still softly snoozing at his side. His heart broke for her.

Hermione was the embodiment of everything good and pure in the world. He couldn't help but feel like he had failed her. She was in pain and he had not thought to ask how he could help. Maybe he did have the emotional range of a teaspoon. Ron knew he loved her. He loved her so very much and he was unsure of what to do about it. He thought back through the morning's events and sighed. Whether she consciously recognized it or not, Hermione must have had feelings for Malfoy. The thought made his blood boil, but who was he to tell her how to live? Had he not learned his lesson from the past? He loved her enough to let her make her own decisions, but he would be _damned_ if he went down without a fight. _Stupid blonde git_.

Harry and Ginny bounded into the room after about an hour. They both had black dust coating their hands and clothes. Harry's hair was sticking up a little more than he normally would have sported and Ginny's pony tail was lopsided. Ron looked at them in confusion. "What on earth-?"

Ginny huffed, " _Someone_ decided to add powdered pepper in the potion instead of vanilla dust," she said glaring at Harry. "I already said I was sorry! I can't find my bloody glasses!" Ron snorted. He knew George had taken off with them earlier. The twins thought having a half-blind Harry would make it easier for them to surprise him with a birthday party later. He was about to tell his friend where to find them when Hermione groaned at his side.

"Shhhhh. Too loud." She buried her face in Ron's side and pulled a pillow over her head. "Oh no you don't!" Ginny grabbed Hermione's foot and pulled her down the bed. Hermione grumbled at the redheaded witch and made an attempt at rolling over. "Hold her," Ginny instructed. Ron and Harry moved to hold Hermione still while Ginny forced some potion down her throat. They all sat still for about 5 minutes before Hermione said anything.

"You guys can let go of me now." They slowly released their hold on her and she sat up. "Thank you," Hermione said weakly.

"Do we need to obliviate you now? Harry said you were naked on top of Malfoy." Ron knew the instant that Ginny said it, that it was the wrong thing to say. Hermione started crying softly. "I'm so...so sorry." Ron pulled her onto his lap and held her tightly. That's what was wrong; _Obliviate_.

Ginny looked lost. "I'm sure it wasn't that bad sweetie. You were drunk, we don't blame you or anything." Hermione just continued to cry in Ron's arms.

"No, Gin. Look," he motioned to the pictures on the bed. "What is it?" Harry asked. George really was being mean, poor Harry was blind as hell without his glasses.

"They're gone," Hermione started with a sob. "Well, not dead gone, but gone." Ginny gasped. "I obliviated them for their safety. I just couldn't...not with everything...you know?" Ginny and Harry joined Ron in hugging Hermione as tightly as they possibly could. The fact that she was still predominantly nude and smelled disgusting was not lost on Hermione. She asked that they give her some privacy so she could locate some clothing and actually go take a shower. She needed some time to herself to work up her Gryffindor bravery and face Malfoy.


	6. Chapter 6 Motherly Meetings

Draco's head was pounding. He had quite literally just experienced the most bizarre morning of his entire life and that was including the day the Dark Lord moved himself into his ancestral home. He managed to survive that entire confrontation without losing his jewels, and for that he was thankful. However, he did not miss hearing the particular spell that Weasley was going to throw his way. What was it with Gryffindor men trying to slice him up?

He sat on the floor of the Weasleys' bathroom far longer than necessary and found himself straining to hear what was occurring throughout the house. It was all in vain, the Weasley home had too much going on to decipher any one sound. He sighed and got up after about 10 minutes on the floor. The shower tap was still running, but the water had long since cooled. He made sure to cut of the flow before assessing the state of his clothes.

While Draco was no longer sporting green slug residue, the same could not be said for his clothing. He had not been permitted to retrieve any clothing from his tent and it rankled his nerves. He could not clean his clothes magically lest they suspect foul play, but he could not very well put the soiled garments back on his, now very clean, body. He abhorred the thought, but he would have to ask for assistance.

Draco wrapped a clean towel around his waist and made to tip toe down the stairs. His plan was to avoid the younger inhabitants of the home and locate Mr. or Mrs. Weasley to assist him. Hell, he would settle for anyone that wasn't in Weasley's bedroom that morning. He was not very fond of being this exposed; His wand was tucked neatly into a hidden pocket of his boot under his corner cot so he felt vulnerable and defenseless.

When Draco reached the bottom floor he could hear Potter and the she-weasel bickering over potion ingredients in the kitchen, so he was going to avoid that room. He peaked out a window to see Mr. Weasley and Lupin digging through his tent. _Th_ _at looks promising_ , he thought. He made his way to the front door only to run straight into Mrs. Weasley who was toting an enormous basket of clothes. The clothes basket toppled over on top of Draco before he could catch it. Mrs. Weasley caught herself on a nearby table but the same could not be said for the young Malfoy.

Draco's day just kept getting more and more interesting by the minute. He pulled a sock off of his head and looked up to see Mrs. Weasley staring curiously at him. He had mocked the Weasley matriarch on more than one occasion, but had never held a conversation with the woman so he was a little wary. Mrs. Weasley was famous for her temperament. He sent a silent _thank you_ to Salazar for allowing the towel to remain firmly wrapped around his waist.

"Oh, goodness! I am so very clumsy! How's that for a good morning, hmm?" Mrs. Weasley chuckled nervously, "Mr. Malfoy, I don't mean to be impolite, but is it normal for you to walk about in this state of undress?"

"What? No! My clothes just happen to be in my tent."

She cocked her head to the side, as if trying to figure him out. "Would it not have made more sense to shower after getting a fresh set of clothes, dear?"

Draco was unsure how to go about speaking to this woman. She was obviously attempting to be cordial, but was clearly questioning his sanity. He figured speaking ill of her children would not do him any favors, so he settled for vague. "My clothes were a bit stained."

"Stained?" She looked thoughtful for a moment before snapping her fingers. "The twins got you didn't they?" Draco nodded. "I'm going to _wring their necks_." She sighed. "I am so sorry about that. Those boys do love to cause trouble. Let's get you some clothes then, shall we? Oh and food, too! You are much too thin, Mr. Malfoy." She waived her wand over the pile of clothes and they neatly folded themselves back in the basket.

Mrs. Weasley poked her head outside the front door and called for Mr. Weasley to bring in clothes for Draco. He was expecting him to bring in just an outfit, but was pleased when Mr. Weasley walked in with his entire trunk of clothes. "Here you go, Mr. Malfoy. We still have some things to check, but your clothes are all clear at least. We shouldn't be too much longer with your tent."

"Thank you, very much." Draco was getting whiplash from the kindness these people were showing him. If he had been in their position, he would have turned them away immediately. These people were doing his head in and he expected that the surprises would continue.

He sprinted to the washroom just after he spotted Potter and the she-weasel run back up the stairs to the girls' room. Draco sorted through his clothes and realized that Lulu had packed his entire wardrobe. He could just kiss that elf! His pressed suits decorated the bottom of the trunk, but with the twins around he decided he would avoid wearing those. He pulled out some dark boxers, socks, a casual pair of jeans, and an emerald green sweater with the letter 'M' embroidered over the heart before closing the trunk with a click.

Draco dressed quickly and stored the trunk under his corner bed before pulling on his boots. He made sure that his wand was good and secure before making his way back down to the kitchen. Mrs. Weasley was hovering over the stove preparing what looked like a full English breakfast. His stomach growled menacingly at him causing Mrs. Weasley to look over her shoulder.

"Take a seat anywhere you'd like, Draco. Is it alright if I call you Draco?" He nodded quietly and sat down. "Breakfast will be ready in just a bit. How do you like your eggs, dear?"

"Sunny side up, please ma'am."

"Oh good. Just like my boys."

There was a sudden commotion behind him and the room was instantly full of people. He was thanking Salazar that he picked a corner spot to sit. Mr. Weasley sat at the head of the table across from Draco and Lupin sat beside him. He relaxed a little when he realized that he was out of the twins' firing range. Potter was sitting awkwardly away from the she-weasel and Weaselbee was staring at Draco with an odd expression between contempt and resignation. Granger was no where to be found.

"Alright you lot, eat up quickly. We have a lot of work to do for Bill's wedding! Madame and Monsieur Delacour will be here soon so I expect perfection. Tuck in!"

A wedding? That was interesting. Draco filled his plate with urgency. When had he last eaten a proper meal? He took a bite of sausage and had to hold back a groan. Food was just what he needed. There was little noise in the Weasley's kitchen beyond the sound of cutlery until Hermione entered the room.

Her hair was damp and hung in loose ringlets around her face. She looked straight at Draco when she entered and then quickly moved to sit by Ginny. Her face was as red as a tomato and she looked like she was trying to blend in with the furniture. Everyone appeared oddly somber for a meal gathering which confused the young Malfoy.

"Has there been any sign of Moody, Remus?" Everyone collectively lowered their silverware and listened with bated breath. "No luck, I'm afraid."

"Well of course not! They'll have taken his body by now wouldn't they?"

"Harry..."

"No, he's right, Molly. The Ministry would not want the public to know. The Prophet hasn't been reporting the Azkaban breakout nor has it reported the disappearances. Everything is being covered up so it appears normal."

The silence that descended the room was deafening. Draco felt incredibly out of place; He did not know the real Moody, so he couldn't properly feel grief as the others did. He was interested to hear what happened, but knew it would be unwise to ask. These people didn't trust him, and he didn't really trust them either. It was a whole lot of uncomfortable civility.

The room emptied after breakfast leaving Draco unsure of himself. Did he help clean? Or should he go hide in a corner out of everyone's way? Thankfully, Mrs. Weasley saved him from his thoughts by asking him to help clean up the kitchen. He didn't know how she did it without house elves! She scrubbed and he dried in amicable silence for a bit before she spoke up.

"The Death Eaters attacked them last night before you got here." Draco set down the plate he was holding and looked at her. She was staring into the dish water looking exhausted.

"The plan was to keep them guessing so there were so many Order members looking like Harry...but they weren't prepared, not really. Moody was knocked off his broom by one of your lot. My son, my poor son, lost an ear." She turned to face him with tears running down her face.

"I know you grew up very differently from us, but I do hope you see how very wrong this fighting is. You are all so young." She lifted her hand as if to caress his face like his mother used to and he felt a pang of regret. Mrs. Weasley shook her head and went back to scrubbing the remaining dishes.

"I'm scared for them, my parents, you know?" Draco said quietly. "Our home became a prison when he returned. I used to believe it all...that I was better than everyone else. I had money, blood purity, and anything a child could hope for, but it's all rubbish isn't it?" He allowed a tear to escape. "Being a Death Eater used to be something I could be proud of and wear as a badge of honor...but it's demented. I had no reason to kill Dumbledore, and yet...it was asked of me. I want to help the Order...but I do not know how."

Mrs. Weasley did something right then that no one had done in a very long time. She pulled Draco into a tight motherly embrace.


	7. Chapter 7 Awkwaaaaard

A/N: I am not J.K. Rowling, but I did borrow her characters, themes, and some direct quotes from "The Deathly Hallows"

* * *

The next few days passed in a blur of chores throughout the Weasley homestead; everyone was put to work preparing for both Harry's birthday party and the wedding. Mrs. Weasley had thought it best to keep the lot of them separate from each other so she set chores that had left them no spare time to interact. Harry, Ron, and Hermione had no time to plan their next move but, to be honest, Hermione still wasn't in the right frame of mind. Her breakdown about her parents still felt too raw.

Much to her dismay, Hermione had not been able to think of anything but the look on Malfoy's face when she was inebriated and naked. A definite downside to the sobering potion was the immediate recollection of drunken activities.

She was smarter than this, wasn't she? She didn't just drink herself stupid and throw herself at boys! Malfoy wasn't just any boy! No, no, he was very clearly a man. _Oh, I'd say so!_ She thought. She viciously scrubbed the counter top that she had been assigned to and willed her brain, for once in her life, to shut up. Of course, she had no such luck because the object of her turmoil chose that moment to walk into the kitchen.

Hermione heard a soft, masculine cough directly behind her. She spun around to see Draco standing by the kitchen table, looking extremely uncomfortable and shifting nervously on the spot.

"Uh Granger-"

"M-Malfoy-" They both started at the same time.

"Sorry, you go..."

"No, no...you go..."

They stared awkwardly at each other for a moment before Hermione found her voice once more. "I'm _so_ sorry, Malfoy...For the other day I mean." She could feel her cheeks burn with embarrassment. "I don't know what has gotten into me." Her shoulders slumped in defeat before she sat down at the table and laid her head on the wood.

Draco, for his part, was at a loss. He wasn't used to this side of Granger; he was used to swotty, bossy, brilliant Granger. Her embarrassment put him on edge so he made himself busy by preparing tea while he mulled over his thoughts.

"It's about your parents, isn't it?" He heard her shift softly behind him, but no words were spoken while he waited for the kettle to whistle. He had begun to think she must have left the room until she finally spoke.

"I saw you, you know, that night at my house." She sniffed.

"Would you have...? Could you have...?" She trailed off uncertainly.

Draco pulled the pot off the heat and grabbed two mismatched mugs from the cupboard. He placed the burnt orange mug, which was the larger of the two, in front of Hermione. She had her head laid on top of her folded arms and was staring into the distance so he didn't bother to ask how strong she liked her tea. He plucked 4 teabags from a nearby jar and placed them in a bright teal teapot before pouring the scalding water over them to steep. Only after locating milk, sugar, and a small tin of biscuits did Draco sit down and answer her questions.

"No Granger. I would not have and I _certainly_ could not have." He rubbed his temples in thought. She looked so hopeless; it didn't suit her to be all mopey. "Come on, Granger. Shake it off. Life is shit and then you die so there's no use sulking about it."

That did it! She sat up straight and looked at him like he had just slapped her.

" _Excuse me?_ " She hissed dangerously. " _How dare you!_ You have no idea what I am going through! What would you know anyway?" She bristled. "You and your perfect family think you're better than everyone! Tell me, when was the last time you did anything remotely difficult?" He laughed humorlessly.

"I'm here aren't I?" Draco rocked back in his chair and gave her a measured look. "Or are you under the impression that this was easy for me? I'm not like you lot, it's not all rainbows and daisies for me."

Hermione proceeded to glare at Draco before huffing indignantly and pouring herself some tea. She measured herself five teaspoons of sugar and mixed what looked like half a cup of milk before taking a large swig. She grimaced, "Ugh, you're rubbish at preparing tea." She then proceeded to add two more teaspoons of sugar and mixing before tasting once more. She smacked her lips and looked up to see Draco's horrified expression. "What's that look for?"

"You just took a perfectly good cup of tea and turned it into liquid diabetes! Who does that?"

"Hermione does that," Ron said as he walked into the kitchen with Harry close behind. "Is mum around?"

"No, she's outside fussing over the state of the garden with Ginny," Hermione answered with a stretch.

"Oh, thank Merlin!" Ron plopped down next to Hermione and reached across her to grab the biscuit tin. "She's trying to keep us all from talking, you know." He shoved two biscuits into his mouth and looked thoughtful for a moment. "I've been thinking-"

Draco scoffed, "that's new."

Ron shot a glare his way, but otherwise ignored the blonde. "We should take him with us."

Hermione spewed out the tea she had in her mouth, spraying the table, and started coughing. "Say what now?"

Harry sat on the other side of Ron and looked like his thoughts were far away. "It's too risky...can't trust him...hmm." He grabbed a biscuit and nibbled at the end while mumbling senselessly to himself. "Can't stay here...hmm...yeah...Maybe you're right, Ron."

Hermione looked between her best friends like they had lost their damn minds. They had a point, sure, but for Ron to be the one to suggest it was just mind boggling.

Draco began waving his arms in front of the odd trio, "Uh helloooooo! Does anyone want to explain who and what you lot are going on about?"

Harry shook himself out of his thoughts and leveled Draco with a green eyed stare. "We," he said gesturing between himself, Ron, and Hermione,"are leaving the Burrow very soon and you're coming with us."

"What the fuck?"

"Watch your mouth, Draco." Mrs. Weasley had chosen that moment to enter the kitchen and quickly began divvying up chores once more.

* * *

The following morning Draco awoke with a start to the sound of Potter muttering in his sleep. He was exhausted and wanted nothing more than just five more minutes of peace so he picked up a small pillow from beside his cot and flung it in Potter's direction only to miss and hit Weasley in the face. Ron sat straight up and looked around the dark bedroom with bleary eyes until he noticed Harry thrashing and muttering in his bed.

"Oi, wake up."

"Yes, wake up and shut up," Draco grumbled from his cot.

Ron shot him a glare before looking back at Harry.

"You were muttering in your sleep."

"Was I?"

"Yeah. 'Gregorovitch.' You kept saying 'Gregorovitch.'"

Draco rolled to his side and looked over at his roommates huddled together on Potter's bed and paid closer attention to what they were saying; the name had certainly sparked his interest.

"Who's Gregorovitch?"

"I dunno, do I? You were the one saying it."

Draco could see Potter rubbing his forehead in concentration.

"I think Voldemort's looking for him."

"Poor bloke," Ron said fervently.

 _That's odd_ , Draco thought. He had never given Potter's scar much thought before, but this conversation had certainly taken a turn he had not expected. _Could Potter's scar link him to the Dark Lord somehow?_

"I think he's abroad."

"Who, Gregorovitch?"

"Voldemort. I think he's somewhere abroad, looking for Gregorovitch. It didn't look like anywhere in Britain."

"You reckon you were seeing into his mind again?"

 _Hold the fuck up! Into the Dark Lord's mind? Since when can Potter do that?_ Draco's mind was reeling with the new information.

"Do me a favor and don't tell Hermione," said Potter. "Although how she expects me to stop seeing stuff in my sleep..."

It was official; Draco Malfoy had entered the Twilight Zone. Not only could Potter see into the Dark Lord's mind, but he also didn't want the brains of the group to know that he had. _Being around these Gryffindors might not be so bad after all_. Now he had at least some leverage to maybe win over Granger's trust. Why that mattered, he really couldn't say.

* * *

That day had turned out to be Potter's seventeenth birthday party so Draco decided to make himself scarce as more and more people arrived at the Burrow. He chose to find an unoccupied bedroom and watch the day's events unfold. He didn't even bother going down to get food until he was _absolutely_ sure that everyone was seated outside.

He watched in mute fascination as Granger made purple and gold streamers erupt from the end of her wand and drape themselves artistically over the trees and bushes. He noticed Weasley smiling and speaking into her ear which earned him a confused smile and a blush from the witch. This unsettled Draco, but he couldn't seem to figure out why.

He ran down to the kitchen and made himself a quick sandwich before running back up the stairs and sitting down upon the window sill once more. He could see more and more people being escorted to the festivities below and felt even more out of place. The Order members knew and trusted each other enough to have joyful celebrations together. It wasn't for the first nor would it be the last time that Draco wished he could have been raised differently.

They all looked so happy...at least, they did until a streak of light tore across the yard and formed a bright silver weasel that stood on it's hind legs and addressed the crowd. The change in atmosphere was immediate. Professor Lupin and the pixie-looking woman almost sprinted until they could be seen no more. The crowd turned towards the gate where Mr. Weasley appeared with the newly appointed Minister of Magic, Rufus Scrimgeour.

 _This can't be good._

* * *

A/N: I am absolutely awful at updating. I am so very sorry, dear followers. The muse for this story is being a nasty little see you next Tuesday. I am going to force myself to update with more consistency and all that jazz. I did quote a lot from the book, hope that is not an issue. I'm aiming for a flavor of cannon with my Dramione twist. Thoughts? Concerns? Prayer requests?


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